AL, BNP, JP come together to encourage youth in politics

Leaders of the country's three major parties yesterday spoke on a stage encouraging youth to join politics.

Speakers at the Dhaka youth fair, held at a hotel in Dhaka, with the theme of 'political discussion must continue' said that the political parties should be more proactive in increasing political participation of talented youth.

The fair was organised by the Multi-Party Advocacy Forum (MAF).

Jatiya Party's Joint Secretary General Golam Mohammad Raju, Bangladesh Awami League's Organising Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, and Bangladesh Nationalist Party BNP's Organising Secretary Syed Emran Saleh Prince attended the youth fair and spoke at the concluding ceremony.

Members of the Chhatra League, Chhatra Dal, and Jatiyo Chatra Somaj, and politically aware students from four educational institutions also participated.

MAF has held 18 such fairs in various districts across the country prior to today's event in Dhaka.

JP's Golam Mohammad Raju said, first of all, democracy must be practised within the party to establish democracy in the country.

Referring to the need to get out of dynastic political party practices, he said, the current chairman of his party has started working towards that goal.

He urged the youth to come forward in politics.

Syed Imran Saleh Prince said, "We sometimes use youth for our own interests. As we cannot use the power of the youth properly, they are drifting away from politics."

Pointing out to good and bad sides of politics, he said, "If we only talk about the negative sides, then we will never move forward."

He urged the youth not to say, "I hate politics."

Sujit Roy Nandi said despite the ideological differences, everyone should be united on key issues such as good governance and militancy for the sake of the country.

He said, for youth, these three parties have united on one stage today, he said.

Thanking the Multi Party Advocacy Forum he said, "We will hold such programs ourselves in the future with all the parties."

At the closing of the Youth Fair, the Chief of Party of Democracy International, Dana L. Olds thanked the organisers and said that such a program was a shining example that political harmony was possible despite different political ideologies.

She also thanked the guests and said that encouraging young people in politics means investing in future policymakers.

At the end of the youth fair organisers awarded certificates to individuals who successfully finished all the courses on the Politics Matters e-learning platform, and winners of the debate, quiz, and video message competitions.

Under the USAID-funded Strengthening Political Landscape programme, Democracy International is working to strengthen the internal capacity of the political parties in Bangladesh, particularly by promoting youth and women leaders.